Airbnb’s long-term vision for AI integration
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky revealed that the company’s ambitious plan to rebuild its app with AI at its core will take several years to complete. During a recent quarterly earnings call, Chesky outlined the long-term vision for Airbnb, saying that the ultimate goal is to create a digital travel concierge that learns and adapts to each user’s preferences.
“The development will take several years,” said Chesky. “And that’s why it won’t happen next year.”
Rebuilding the app with AI
Previously, Chesky had predicted that Airbnb would be rebuilt with AI at its core by May 2024. However, in an interview with Skift editor-in-chief Sarah Kopit in May, he acknowledged that those plans would take longer than originally anticipated. Despite the delay, Chesky remains optimistic about the future of AI integration at Airbnb.
The need for AI-native applications
Chesky highlighted a significant gap in the current technology landscape, noting that while advances in computer chips and generative AI models have been significant, the development of AI-native applications has lagged.
“If you look at your home screen, which of your apps are fundamentally differentiating themselves with generative AI? Very few, especially in e-commerce or travel, even fewer.” Chesky noted.
He emphasized the need to develop AI applications based on the latest AI models – an area that is not yet fully explored.
Visions for the future of Airbnb
Beyond simple chatbots, Chesky envisions a future where Airbnb’s AI-powered app acts as a comprehensive travel concierge, able to provide personalized recommendations for destinations and activities. This vision includes the app’s potential to facilitate trip planning from start to finish.
Airbnb, which acquired HotelTonight in 2019, already offers hotel room bookings and plans to integrate that service more seamlessly into the AI-powered app. In addition, the company plans to relaunch its experiences next year and continue to expand the range of services available through the platform.
“With this new interface, there will be opportunities to sell new things in the future, including hotels and everything else.” added Chesky.
Managing expectations
Reflecting on the initial excitement following ChatGPT’s release in late 2022, Chesky noted that while the travel industry has been quick to recognize the potential of generative AI, developing practical applications will take time.
“When (ChatGPT) came out, we were all incredibly excited. It was probably like when some of us discovered the Internet for the first time, or maybe when the iPhone came out.” said Chesky. “I think that’s still true. But I think one of the things we’ve learned in the last almost two years since we launched ChatGPT is that it’s going to take a lot longer than people think for applications to change.”
